(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of separating closed bolls of cotton. More specifically, this method is for separating closed cotton bolls into different levels of maturity by means of specific gravity of the boll.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Cotton dust has been a major problem in the cotton industry for several years. Numerous efforts have been devoted to solving the problem of dust in cotton gins as well as in textile processing operations. Cotton-related dust is suspected of causing a respiratory disorder (Byssinosis) in some individuals, but research has failed to identify a causative agent. A proposed method of identifying the causative agent has been to harvest large quantities of uncontaminated cotton. The uncontaminated cotton has been harvested in the closed-boll form in the field before it had opened and suffered weathering effects. Procurement of large quantities of lint cotton have been hampered by the inability of current technology to provide a means to separate the closed bolls of cotton by differences in maturity. Boll size is not directly related to boll maturity and thus can not be used as a means of separation. Previous researchers have found that about 40% of the bolls that were harvested in the field were immature and had to be discarded after they were conditioned and dried and had failed to open.
At present, the physical size of the boll, the color of the boll, and the location of the boll on the plant are used to estimate maturity. These factors, however, provide only a 60% efficiency.
After the closed bolls are dried and conditioned and have opened, the immature bolls can be discarded. However, no technology exists to allow separation of the somewhat opened or opened bolls into discreet levels of maturity. Maturity is directly related to micronaire and the cotton industry presently assigns no discounts to micronaire values of 3.5 to 4.9. Lint cotton having a higher or lower micronaire, however, is discounted.